Sara Dowd

Sara Ann Hester Dowd, 33, of White Oak went to be with the Lord on Thursday, April 1, 2021. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Edwin Hester and Ollie Hester, paternal grandmother Ann Tart Young, uncle Stewart Wade Young and aunt Jennifer Young Nance. Sara Ann Hester was born to Steve and Kay Hester on February 29, 1988. She did all the things that little girls do growing up. She took ballet and dance, she competed in pageants. She was born with a desire to help others, and that desire led her become a Pharmacist. Her final workplace was Lumberton Drug, where she earned the love of her work family. She never lost that desire to make life easier for others, and more than one time paid from her pocket for medicine for an elderly person who was trying to decide which one of their medicines they could afford to pick up that day. She did not brag on these things, but did recently quietly confess to it in a suppertime conversation.

She was a beautiful woman with a smile that would light up the world. That smile caught the attention of Marcus Dowd, whose serious attention had not been caught before. They planned a beautiful wedding, but before that day arrived, their love for each other and the Love for the Lord led them to have a very private, very beautiful, wedding down by the river. A year later that love fulfilled Sara’s deep longing to have a baby, and Emmeline Rose Dowd made Sara and Marcus’s dreams come true. Emmie made their lives complete, and Sara spent the next 3 years doting on her. Shopping all the time for the most beautiful little outfits, keeping Emmie’s closet stocked a season ahead. She doted on Emmie, and many times would text when Emmie was at her Friday night sleepovers, wanting Mema to send her a picture of her, because she missed her.

We have heard it said that God calls the best, and that was evidenced on Thursday morning, when sweet Sara got her call to go Home. Sara would never have chosen to leave her family, but Heaven was always her end goal. If she could know that anyone’s life was changed for God, by her death, she would say it was all worthwhile. We have to remember, as we mourn Sara, that she is in the Land where no tears shall ever fall, and never another shadow will dim that beautiful smile. In the Land where she can dance, as she always loved to do. She will never be truly gone, as long as we keep her in our hearts and cherish the memories she made with us in her short time here. Rest easy, sweet Sara. We will never forget you, and we promise that Emmie will always know how much her mama loved her, and how much everyone who knew her mama loved her.

Sara leaves behind her parents, Steve Hester and Kay Young Hester of Dublin, her husband Marcus Dowd of the home, one daughter Emmeline Rose Dowd of the home, paternal grandfather Oran W. Young of Bladenboro, one brother, Jared S. Hester (Rebecca Applewhite) of Riegelwood, her in-laws, Mary Alice and Keith Dowd of White Oak, one brother in-law Mickey Dowd (Candice) of Bladenboro, and one nephew Logan Hester.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, April 5, 2021 at 3:00 pm at White Oak Baptist Church in White Oak with Rev. Warren Hill officiating. Burial will follow the services in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends after the service in the cemetery. All attendees are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.

Flowers are welcome or memorials may be sent to the College Fund for Emmeline Rose Dowd c/o Marcus Dowd, 1430 Gum Shaw Rd, White Oak, NC 28399.